Snowmobiles have been a mode of transportation across snow for decades. Over the years there have been numerous general configurations for snowmobiles. Generally, a snowmobile comprises a tread on the rear part of the snowmobile which is driven by an engine, and two skis on the front of the snowmobile which support the front end of the snowmobile as well as provide steering for the snowmobile. The tread rotates around a series of suspension wheels and grips the snow thereby pushing the snowmobile in a forward or rearward direction. The tread acts in a similar manner to treads on a tank. The front of the snowmobile is supported by a pair of skis. There have been single ski snowmobiles, but the typical snowmobile has two skis. The skis generally are linked to a suspension system which absorbs the impact when a ski hits a hard surface, thus making the snowmobile more comfortable to ride and easier to handle. This type of snowmobile is generally shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,941.
The front skis also provide steering for the snowmobile. The skis are secured through a variety of mechanical couplings to a handlebar which is gripped by the user. As the user turns the handlebar in one direction, the skis point in that direction and thus turn the snowmobile in that direction.
Oftentimes snowmobiling is done in very deep snow, which presents many problems to existing snowmobiles. The first problem is that even though the front skis lift the front of the snowmobile off the snow, in deep powder the front of the snowmobile can get bogged down. One reason for this is that snow packs into the suspension wells of the snowmobile when riding in deep powder, thus increasing front end resistance. This resistance causes difficulty in steering and cause the snowmobile to slow down or even become stuck. Another reason for the snowmobile getting stuck is that the front end of the snowmobile may simply sink in the deep snow, regardless of the increased resistance.
Attempts have been made to correct this problem by widening the front skis. An example of this is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,482,849. This is undesirable in that the steering precision can decrease as the skis are widened.
Another problem with having snow packed suspension wells is that snow and ice tend to interfere with a snowmobile's suspension system. The suspension wells allow the snowmobile's suspension components to move as needed through their normal range of motion without interference. However, the inside of the suspension well is typically the outer wall of the snowmobile's engine housing. The suspension well is heated-up during use due to emitted engine heat, and the snow then often turns to ice. As the ice builds up inside the suspension well more snow can become packed in the well. This combination of packed snow and ice formation can lead to fairly significant interference with the movement of the suspension system.
An additional problem with existing snowmobiles is that as they are driven in the deep snow, the steerability of the snowmobile diminishes significantly. This diminishment of steerability results from the front skis being buried in deep snow, and not being the sole point of contact between the front of the snowmobile and the snow. Rather, the bottom of the front of the snowmobile resists turning because it too is buried in deep snow.
There exists a need for a snowmobile to have additional support in deep snow that allows the snowmobile to maintain ideal speeds in deep snow. Additionally, there exists a need for a snowmobile that reduces or eliminates snow from entering the snowmobile's suspension wells.
It is with these shortcomings in mind that the present invention was developed.